Rae's Story
by saganaki
Summary: The life and times of a young mechwarrior. Chapter 3 is up, and it's a long one! Rated for violence. Please R+R.
1. Arrival

Arrival; being the first part of Rae's Story: a work of Battletech fan fiction by Dave "saganaki" Mooney  
  
  
All setting elements are copyrights of Wizkids, LLC (http://www.wizkidsgames.com). This story takes place within the confines of the classic Battletech setting, as originally envisioned by the FASA corporation. If you'd like more information on the setting, I'd suggest checking out http://www.classicbattletech.com, as it is the official information site of the Classic Battletech universe. All characters are copyrights of myself. If you wish to use them in fan fiction works of your own, please email me at dave@fgc.every1.net  
  
-Arrival  
  
Reality wavered and solidified as the Jumpship Brightest Hope arrived in the New Samarkand system. One by one, its complement of dropships detached from the docking collars and began the slow passage towards the planet that gave birth to Minoru Kurita. In a matter of days, the passengers aboard would find themselves students of the Sun Zhang Mechwarrior Academy, one of the most prestigious schools of combat in the vastness of the Inner Sphere.  
  
Rachel Kumiko Sakamoto watched from a porthole as the ship began the final leg of its voyage, one that would see her in her new home. Four long years had passed since she had convinced her parents to send her to a military academy as opposed to a preparatory school. Four years since, at the tender age of twelve, she began her training to enter the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery. She had spent so long working towards admission, so many hours spent after classes. She was one of a handful of people from the planet Vega to gain admission.  
  
"We've almost made it, Rae," a voice called from behind her. Rachel turned to see her closest friend, Yu Hashirobei, smiling at her. She grinned back at the only other female graduate from her military academy, whose shoulder-length black hair and deep brown eyes were a mirror of her own. They were often mistaken for sisters, such was the similarity between them.  
  
"I know, Yu," Rachel replied. "I can't believe we're really here." She looked back at the Jumpship, rapidly shrinking behind them, taking the last fragments of her old life with it.  
  
The planetward voyage was uneventful, though the air was filled with the anticipation of the ship's passengers, the young men and women who would become the elite among Combine soldiers. Rachel, however, kept to herself, watching the stars as they passed by her porthole. Yu visited hourly, trying to ease her friend's nerves, and encouraging her to meet some of her future classmates. Rachel had refused every time. She didn't wish to meet anyone when her homesickness would leave a bad first impression.  
  
Most of the passengers were asleep as the Dropship made its descent through the atmosphere of New Samarkand. Rachel watched from her porthole as the ship fell from the heavens, its trajectory taking it towards a small island.   
As it grew closer, she saw buildings growing rapidly larger. Bunkhouses primarily, though there were some command buildings. A knot formed in her stomach as she realized where they were landing.  
  
Rachel looked at her watch. 5 AM. As she looked back to her porthole, she felt a rumbling as the spheroid ship began firing its engines. The landing procedure had begun.   
  
Alarms began ringing on all parts of the ship. Klaxons   
wailed, waking any cadet who remained sleeping through the reverse thrusters. A voice crackled over the intercom.  
  
"Good morning, hojuhei," the speakers hissed, "This is sho-ko Eiji Kurosawa. For the next four months, you belong to me. You will learn to fear me as you should fear dishonour, and to love me as you should love the Dragon.   
Any dissent while training here will be grounds for expulsion. You are to respect your superiors without question.  
  
"Each of you will be assigned to a squadron," the voice continued, "overseen by one of your upperclassmen. I hope that I need not impress upon you the vitality of obedience to your squad leader. You have been judged worthy of attendance at our illustrious academy. Your time here shall ensure your worthiness. You have twenty minutes to assemble in the cargo hold, with identification, and prepared for inspection. That is all."  
  
The entire populace of the ship was on the move. Showers sprang to high-pressured life, quickly cleaning their occupants. Everywhere was the rush of feet running. Uniforms were donned, boots laced. Hair and nails were given a final once-over before a mad dash to the cargo hold.  
  
A man with severely cut iron gray hair stood at a podium, eying a stopwatch. The moment the watch hit twenty minutes, he signaled the cargo bay doors shut. Go-cho were sent among the crowd of hojuhei, performing inspection. Any who didn't meet the requirements were sent to the hall with the stragglers.  
  
Once the group was thinned, the go-cho were sent to gather the identification of those who passed inspection. The papers were passed to the sho-ko, who counted them off, one-by one.  
  
"One hundred sixty-eight," he said, looking at the last sheet of ID. "Over five hundred hojuhei, and only one hundred and sixty-eight of you managed to meet this simple requirement!" he slammed his fist upon the podium, causing   
the speakers to ring with feedback.  
  
Regaining his composure, the passed the sheets to a group of men behind him and left the cargo bay. The men distributed the sheets amongst themselves and began calling names. Within the space of twenty minutes, they had been divided into six squadrons, each numbering at twenty-eight hojuhei. Rachel was unsuprised that she and Yu were to be in the same squadron: of the one hundred sixty-eight hojuhei who passed inspection, only thirty were female. It wasnÕt a great shock that twenty-eight of them were placed in the same group, and the other two kept together. It kept with the ingrained segregation of the sexes that the Combine had upheld for centuries.  
  
The astonishing coincidence, however, was that Rachel and Yu were the two not assigned to the all-female squad 3419. Instead, they were placed along with twenty-six men in squad 3413. In command of this unit was an imposing young man who Rachel guessed to be her elder by four years at the very least.  
  
He was not unattractive, with a strong face, piercing eyes, and broad shoulders. His hair, the colour of jet, was cropped close to his skull. He towered over Rachel by a quarter of a metre. A smirk formed on his face as he scanned his unit.  
  
ÒI am Masamune Shunji,Ó he said, ÒI am here to conduct the last of your admissions tests. For the next four months, I will mould each and every one of you into a proper servant of the Dragon, ready to assume your proper role in the Draconis Combine.Ó His last comment seemed directed at Rachel and Yu specifically. Not all soldiers in the DCMS were in favour of women in the ranks.  
  
Masamune led the group to a bunkhouse. "You have today until 1800 to prepare your bunks and train freely. Tomorrow, the test will begin. You had best be prepared tomorrow at 500. That is all." He left, leaving the hojuhei to fend for themselves. 


	2. Basic Training

Basic Training; being the second part of Rae's Story: a work of Battletech fan fiction by Dave "saganaki" Mooney  
  
  
  
All setting elements are copyrights of Wizkids, LLC (http://www.wizkidsgames.com). This story takes place within the confines of the classic Battletech setting, as originally envisioned by the FASA corporation. If you'd like more information on the setting, I'd suggest checking out http://www.classicbattletech.com, as it is the official information site of the Classic Battletech universe. All characters are copyrights of myself. If you wish to use them in fan fiction works of your own, please email me at dave@fgc.every1.net  
  
  
  
-Basic Training  
  
The blaring of trumpets woke Rachel from her slumber. She checked the clock: 0500. Her day was beginning. She slipped from her bunk to the floor and quickly donned her training fatigues. She was in uniform with her bed made at 0510. She stood at attention, awaiting Masamune's arrival.  
  
It had been three months since they had arrived on New Samarkand. For the most part, life in squad 3413 was difficult, but manageable. Most members of the squad were able to keep up with the pace set by their group leader, though even the few stragglers were not met with as much scorn from Masamune as Rachel and Yu, upon whom he heaped abuse. Both became very withdrawn, but they were also among the best in the squad.  
  
Masamune Shunji arrived at precisely 0515, as the last of the hojuhei finished making their beds. He scanned the room with his usual self-satisfied smirk.  
  
"Fifty," he commanded curtly. The group dropped to their stomachs. "Start." The pushups shook the last of the sleep from the squad, warming them up for a harsh day of training. Upon completion, they returned to attention.  
  
"Fall in!" he barked. The twenty-eight did so, forming a human enclosure four wide and seven deep. He led them out of the building at a brisk jog. Rachel checked the clock as they left. 0530.  
  
0730. The two hour march had brought them to the firing range. They were surrounded by the sounds of rifles, both ballistic and laser. Moving targets were popped from the ground and fired upon, only to bring about a new wave of targets. Rachel and Yu were given the unenviable position of the edges, ensuring that at least one would always have the longest shot.  
  
0830. Shunji ordered the squad on the march again.  
  
1000. The obstacle course. Each member of the squad was expected to run the obstacle course on base in under 10 minutes. Most managed as they had each day beforehand. Some faltered. The worst performances were treated as relatively minor compared to the smallest mistake made by Rachel or Yu.  
  
1130. More marching.  
  
1200. The hojuhei were allowed a half hour to eat lunch in the mess. Rachel and Yu shared a meal with two of the other hojuhei, Hiroji Shigemitsu and Katsunosuki Akita, the only two to have any sort of contact with the young women. Both were the sons of nobles in the Benjamin prefecture, whose intellectual bent alienated them from their contemporaries. Both claimed to prefer the company of Rachel and Yu to that of the other men of the unit, as either could actually maintain a conversation. Today's lunch was silent, permeated by a feel of overt anticipation all about them. The quartet were all nervous as they ate.  
  
1230. Shunji gave the order to march again.  
  
1330. The base's 19 squads assembled to recite a pledge of loyalty to the Dragon and to House Kurita. Pushups were performed for Kurosawa during the recitation.  
  
1400. The order was once again given to march.  
  
1500. The squad returned to the obstacle course. Each hojuhei was expected to run through the course twice over a fifteen minute period.  
  
1800. The squad convened on the mess for their evening meal. The anticipation was almost suffocating. Neither Rachel, Yu, Katsunosuki, nor Hiroji attempted to start a conversation.  
  
1845. Barracks maintenance. Rachel drew head duty alongside Katsunosuki and a third hojuhei, a brutish young man called Akira Shiratori.  
  
1930. The hojuhei were granted free time to train however they pleased. Rachel, Yu, and Hiroji practised martial arts in the base's gymnasium. The feeling around them was enough to give both women pause. Both cut their evening's training short, that they could shower before...  
  
2030. The hojuhei were to report to the barracks to shower and prepare from inspection. Rachel and Yu were both prepared to recieve inspection before the majority of their squad had even reached the showers.  
  
2050. Inspection. Shunji's scrutiny was, of course, highest upon Rachel and Yu. Both passed with barely a snide grin from Shunji.  
  
2100. Lights out. Rachel was more than ready to drift to sleep after a hard day's labour, though a vague sense of dread kept her awake.  
  
The barracks were quiet. Rachel looked at the clock. 0130. Three and a half hours before the ordeal was to begin anew. One month longer before she reached the Academy itself. She sighed softly, rolling onto her back to sleep, when she heard a noise. She opened her eyes in time to see many other members of the squad approaching the bunk she shared with Yu, makeshift clubs made from soap and towels. She felt hands around her ankles and a strip of cloth in her mouth.  
  
Before the first soap club connected, she kicked hard, sending the men holding her ankles into her would-be assailants. In one smooth motion, she rolled backwards, pushing off the head rails of her top bunk and landing behind the man who had been gagging her. A swift punch to the back of his head slammed him into the bedframe and caused him to crumple, boneless, to the ground.  
  
She turned to her astonished attackers. "Whoever is behind this," she said, "is an honourless cur should he not come to defend his honour in single combat against me."  
  
One of the men tremblingly pointed at the man who had been gagging her. It was Shiratori. Blood was oozing from a deep gash in his forehead. Rachel smirked.  
  
"I see that my point has been made," she said, turning to climb back to her bunk.  
  
"Hold still, hojuhei Sakamoto," came the voice of Shunji. The lights flickered to life. "For this assault upon one of your fellow hojuhei, I could see you expelled." He grinned, looking at her as a cat eyes a mouse caught by the tail. "I am, however, a forgiving man at heart." He wanted to toy with her. "So, your punishment shall be solitary confinement, starting now and lasting until I decide to let you out." He took her by the arm and began to lead her out, before turning towards the ringleader. "See to it that he gets to the nurse as soon as possible, miss Hashirobei."  
  
"Sir," Rachel began, "it's not Yu's fault. I -"  
  
"Silence!" Shunji shouted, cutting Rachel's pleas short. He then returned his gaze to Yu. "Should you require aid, hojuhei Hashirobei and Akita will aid you. The rest of you should return to your bunks, for you have little more than three hours until your day begins." He left, his prisoner in tow.  
  
Rachel was dragged in silence across the base to a block of small cells. Taking a moment to verify that it was empty, Shunji threw her roughly into one of these. The room stank of sweat and urine. A pallet to be found on the floor and a bowl that could only be called a latrine on a technicality were the only furnishings. Shunji smirked at her.  
  
"Let us see how long you last in here, 'princess,'" he sneered as he slammed the door shut with a deafening clang, blocking all ambient light.  
  
Rachel laid upon the pallet, staring at the featureless ceiling. Exhaustion eventually overcame her, and she sank into a dreamless sleep.  
  
At 0500, the trumpets blared anew, jarring Rachel into wakefulness. No light from outdoors penetrated the boxy cell, though she heard the motions of a new day beginning beyond the door. She stood and closed her eyes, relying upon her memory of the room's shape to know her way around. Her morning was spent working upon her martial arts, the rhythmic movements allowing her to clear her mind.  
  
As the day wore on, the heat inside the box grew. Sweat poured from Rachel's skin, soaking the shorts and t-shirt in which she had slept the night before. The temperature continued to rise, stopping her exercises. She instead chose to lie upon the pallet, staring into the darkness that surrounded her. She fought to stay awake, resisting the weariness that threatened to take her. She had to be prepared, should a superior come calling.  
  
A rough sound of metal scraping metal and a blinding light broke Rachel's reverie. She leapt to her feet, ready to salute.  
  
"Rachel?" The voice of Katsunosuki drifted in, nervously, "Is that you?"  
  
"It is," she replied, "What are you doing here? You could get discharged for speaking with me."  
  
"I doubt it," he said, "The sho-ko owes my father a favour or two, and either way, I'm technically here on duty." A tray of food slid through the light. "Hiroji, Yu, and I had to agree to half rations to convince Shunji to let us feed you this, so you'd better appreciate it, Rachel." A grin was apparent in his voice.  
  
"I can't tell you how much, Katsunosuki," she said, "and call me Rae."  
  
"Sure thing, Rae," he said, "I have to get back to the squad. Hiroji or Yu'll probably be here tonight with your supper. You'll probably be back in the barracks by lights out." The slot slid shut, plunging the cell into darkness once again.  
  
Rachel groped through the darkness and found the tray. She made short work of the contents, trying her best to ensure that she would maintain a presentable appearance. With her appetite sated, she slid the tray to the corner of the room and returned to her pallet. She sat leaning against the wall, telling herself stories of her people's glorious past. She could not let herself fall asleep.  
  
The heat was oppressive. Rachel felt unable to move, as the air had become thick with humidity. Still, she fought fatigue, steadfastly refusing to surrender to her body. Time had slowed to a crawl or sped to a jackrabbit's pace, she was unsure which.  
  
"Everything is happening for the best," Rachel told herself softly, at least partially to hear a voice, "Everything will be fine."  
  
"Perhaps it will, hojuhei," A familiar voice boomed through the room as the door opened. The combination of stimuli shocked her into stillness for the moment before she recognized the sho-ko's figure striding into her cell.  
  
Rachel leapt to her feet at attention. "Sho-ko Kurosawa, sir!" She spoke.  
  
Kurosawa leveled his steely gaze upon Rachel, "Why are you here, hojuhei Sakamoto?"  
  
"I acted rashly and attacked one of my fellow hojuhei, sir," Rachel said, meeting his eyes.  
  
"Regrettable," the sho-ko said, balling his fist and punching Rachel in the stomach. She doubled over.  
  
"Your squad commander, Masamune Shunji, told me of the altercation in the barracks last night," Kurosawa continued, "and your actions leave much to be desired. We do not tolerate such behaviour here at Sun Zhang" He kicked Rachel's feet from under her, sending her slamming to the hard floor of the cell. "Do you have anything to say in your defense?"  
  
Rachel picked herself up to stand at attention, blood running from her nose and a split lip. Her head felt stuffed with cotton. "I am here to serve the Dragon, sir," she said, as evenly as possible, "I defended my body and my honour from fellow hojuhei who felt me beneath them. Hojuhei Shiratori is my equal, and I see him as such. Though I harmed him, it was to keep him from harming me. Bushido demanded my retaliation.  
  
"As my superior, sir," Rachel continued, "you have every right to punish me for my transgressions. My honour has earned me these wounds, and I shall wear them with pride."  
  
A faint trace of a smile played across the older man's lips. "You make your case well, hojuhei. You may return to your barracks and clean up. Your squad shall be at mess in about twenty-five minutes. I hope to see you there." He saluted, turned, and left.  
  
Rachel returned the salute and watched him leave. She counted off a minute and made a dash for the barracks. Observing herself in the mirror, she realized that her wounds were more severe than she had noticed. Looking at her nose, she was surprised that it hadn't broken for the blood that continued to ooze from it. Her left eye was puffy, and her lower lip was swollen.  
  
Rachel washed what she could before dashing to her bunk. As quickly as she was able to manage, she donned her fatigues. She checked her watch: 1755. She dashed headlong through the barracks to the mess, in time to see squad 3413 enter. Trying to hide her smile, she saluted Shunji and joined her friends.  
  
***  
  
A/N Thanks to The Nice Guy for his comments. I'll see what I can do to beef up chapter length. And yes, for those who may recognize the scene about halfway through, I did watch Full Metal Jacket recently. 


	3. Ronin

Ronin; being the third part of Rae's Story: a work of Battletech fan fiction by Dave "saganaki" Mooney  
  
  
All setting elements are copyrights of Wizkids, LLC (http://www.wizkidsgames.com). This story takes place within the confines of the classic Battletech setting, as originally envisioned by the FASA corporation. If you'd like more information on the setting, I'd suggest checking out http://www.classicbattletech.com, as it is the official information site of the Classic Battletech universe. All non-canon characters are copyrights of myself. If you wish to use them in fan fiction works of your own, please email me at dave@fgc.every1.net  
  
-Ronin  
  
Classes at the Sun Zhang Mechwarrior Academy had begun for the first years, fresh from their basic training. The setting in the Academy proper was far more comfortable than Kurosawa's training camp, though the atmosphere was still quite strict. Students were expected to adhere to a strict schedule, to the point that missing classes without a reasonable excuse could be grounds for dismissal. Free time was scarce, limited to the brief periods between classes and an hour before lights out.   
  
Hiroji, Katsunosuki, Yu, and Rachel, who insisted her friends call her Rae, were two months out of basic training. The four shared a few classes, though they mainly saw each other in the evenings, drinking tea together and generally enjoying the company. On nights that neither of the men were available, Rae enjoyed painting, and Yu a more than willing model.   
  
13 March 3034 was one such evening. Katsunosuki had received an urgent message from his father and raced to the local ComStar Hyperpulse Generator facility. Hiroji had a midterm exam the following morning and was reviewing. Rae had set up her easel and was working on a likeness of her friend, begun the previous week. Neither spoke, with Rae being engrossed in her work, and Yu holding her pose.  
  
Rae had stepped back from her easel to survey her work as Katsunosuki charged into the room the women shared. Quick action on the part of Katsunosuki averted a collision. Rae was far from impressed.  
  
"Dammit, Katsuno," she said, palette and brush still in hand, "did you forget how to knock?" She wiped her brush upon the palette. She hated interruptions while she painted. It ruined her concentration on her work. She looked at her friend, still standing near the doorway, a confused look upon his face.  
  
"Well?" Yu asked, trying to defuse the situation, "Where's the fire?"  
  
"Rasalhague, actually," Katsunosuki said, closing the door. "They've declared independence. The Coordinator has apparently recognized them as a state, and so has ComStar. The FedCom'll probably recognize them soon, too."  
  
"And?" Rae asked, cleaning her brushes in irritation.  
  
Katsunosuki adjusted his glasses. "For one thing," he said, "the Warlord of the Rasalhague district was assassinated, and my father told me that some of the other tai-shu are already planning a retaliatory attack."  
  
Rae stopped. "But the Coordinator recognized the new state. What could they possibly hope to accomplish?"  
  
"Could any of the tai-shu be so reckless as to attempt rebellion?" Yu mused, "Surely they're more careful than that."  
  
"Maybe," Katsunsuki said, sitting on Rae's bed, "but a few of them have been at odds with the Coordinator since the Fourth Succession War. This could be their breaking point. All things considered, if a rebellion were to happen, things would certainly change here."  
  
Rae resumed cleaning her brushes as the three sat in silence. The thought of open rebellion amongst the tai-shu should be inconceivable, but the Coordinator had been erratic since the Fourth War. That the environment at Sun Zhang would change in such a situation was beyond doubt.  
  
Something permeated the air in the following day's History class, a sense of apprehension mixed with excitement. Their professor broke from his planned lecture to speak with the students regarding the Rasalhague situation. Participation by the students was high, most of whom were expressing confusion in the Coordinator's decision. Rae and her friends were silent save for proclamations of loyalty and expressing confidence in the Coordinator's wisdom. They knew all too well that the ISF, the dreaded secret police of the Draconis Combine, would be watching their statements. Dissent was not encouraged among the elite students of Sun Zhang.  
  
The only student to say nothing was Akira Shiratori. Rae had kept an eye on him since the incident during basic training, and made note of his outspoken nature. After word came through of the Rasalhague secession, however, he became quiet and withdrawn, lacking even his usual belligerence towards Rae.  
  
Strangely, she was concerned about the man who was her enemy.  
  
A week passed with no further news, until another evening with Katsunosuki called to the HPG. Rae, Yu, and Hiroji were gathered in the room shared by the two young men, idly talking over tea. It was not long before the topic turned towards this metamorphosis.  
  
"Have any of you noticed anything odd about Shiratori lately?" Rae asked, filling a gap in the conversation.  
  
"You mean that he hasn't said a single word to you in over a week?" Yu replied with a smile, "You should be glad for it."  
  
"Yu's right," Hiroji added, pausing to sip from his mug, "Shiratori is really only worth paying attention to if you think that he's going to do something, and he'd have to be an idiot to try something now. The ISF'd be all over him, and he'd be lucky to only be discharged from the academy."  
  
"Maybe," Rae said, "but I can't help feeling nervous around him."  
  
"Rightly so," Katsunosuki said, walking into the room, "seeing as his father's just become involved in a fairly major war."  
  
Rae, Yu, and Hiroji stared dumbfounded at Katsunosuki. "What?" Rae asked, voice muted by shock.  
  
"Well," the new arrival began, "It seems that Marcus Kurita and Vasily Cherenkoff have been declared Ronin by the Coordinator. The DCMS is moving against them as we speak."  
  
Hiroji eyed his roommate, try to discern whether he was hearing a joke. "Civil war in the Combine? Those tai-shu couldn't possibly be so idiotic as to throw away their honour, are they?"  
  
"Apparently so," Katsunosuki said, pulling a bottle of sake from his closet, "My father doesn't joke." he passed a printout of an HPG message to Rae.  
  
She scanned it quickly, reaching a list of students at Sun Zhang who were children, or grandchildren, of the ronin tai-shu and their officers. The first name on the list was Akira Shiratori's. He was the son of tai-shu Kurita's executive officer.  
  
"Does this mean what I think it does?" Rae asked, passing the printout to Yu.   
  
Katsunosuki nodded. "It does," he said. "Our friend Shiratori is on the ISF's watch list. Since Rasalhague happened, he's been keeping understandably quiet."  
  
"So what do we do about this?" Hiroji asked. "Shiratori may be quiet for now, but the stress must be getting to him, and he's bound to fly off the handle eventually. We know that he sees Rae as a convenient scapegoat, so that makes her a prime target. There's safety in numbers, so I suggest that at least one of us be with her whenever he's around." He looked at the clock, then turned towards Rae and Yu. "Either way, you two should return to your room. Curfew's soon, and I don't like the idea of you two being caught violating, especially since the ISF's around."  
  
"You're right Hiroji," Yu said, standing and turning towards Rae. "Shall we?"  
  
"Let's," Rae replied. The pair returned to their quarters, well in time for curfew.  
  
The next day saw Rae and her friends in Battlemech Training. The class of twenty-four had spent months learning the academic side of controlling the giant machines of war. This lesson marked the first actual attempt at piloting.  
  
The students were instructed to form lances of four members each. Unsurprisingly, Rae, Yu, Hiroji, and Katsunosuki joined together. Across the room, Shiratori glared at the quartet from within his group of friends. Rae felt a shiver travel up her spine.  
  
"Today, class," Instructor Ryu Torii barked, "you will be applying what you have learned in the classroom. Each of you will be assigned a simulator unit and passcode. Do not forget these. A simple obstacle course has been devised for you to pilot your 'mechs through. Points will be taken for errors in piloting. Also, you should all remember that the simulated 'mechs carry simulated weapons. Should your lance finish the obstacle course before the class is finished, you may engage in skirmishes with other lances."  
  
Each group was lead to the simulators, which were simultaneously powered up by Instructor Torii. As the lights within the confined space changed to simulate a small canyon, Rae became aware that she was in the cockpit of a Jenner, a 'mech which formed the backbone to the DCMS's light units. Looking at her lancemates, she saw that they too were in light 'mechs: Katsunosuki was at the helm of a Panther, Hiroji in a Javelin, and Yu in a Wasp.  
  
A quick scan of her HUD revealed the path Rae's lance was to take. The on-board communications system crackled with Hiroji's voice as his Javelin took the lead.  
  
"Follow me," he said. The other three did as commanded. Hiroji simply seemed too natural a leader for them not to.  
  
The course passed over hills, through caves, and at one point, up the surface of a sheer cliff passable only by grace of the jump jets with which each 'mech was equipped. They were the third unit to arrive at the destination, followed shortly by Shiratori's group of a similar composition. Rae felt her stomach clench.  
  
Warning buzzers sounded in her cockpit as Rae saw the missile lock from Shiratori's Panther. A volley of short-range missiles collided with her Jenner, scoring damage to her 'mech's right leg. A blast of blue light flashed from the Panther's PPC, narrowly missing her left side. She returned fire, ignoring the heat warnings that blared throughout the cockpit as four spears of light slammed into the Panther's torso, knocking Shiratori's 'mech backwards.  
  
Shiratori's lancemates gathered between Rae and her target, blocking any further attacks upon the damaged Panther. The three light 'mechs then opened fire on Rae's lance, missiles and lasers shearing through light armour.  
  
Behind them, Shiratori was having problems regaining his footing.  
  
A sudden flash of light and a recorded voice told Rae that her left side laser hub had been destroyed. Another alert warned of a minor reactor breach. Heat within the cockpit climbed.  
  
Hiroji's SRMs tore into the torso of the enemy Wasp. The striken 'mech lurched forward, fell to the ground, and vanished from the simulation.  
  
As the Wasp fell, the opposing Jenner scored a hit on Katsunosuki's ammo bin, causing more than enough damage to cripple the Panther. Katsunosuki's 'mech faded.  
  
Hiroji began trading salvos with the opposing Javelin, while Yu kept herself busy with the Jenner. Shiratori's Panther was finally struggling to its feet, relatively undamaged when compared to the other 'mechs on the virtual field.  
  
A stray laser blast from the opposing Jenner removed Rae's right laser hub. She saw with certainty that the battle would be over if Shiratori's 'mech regained its footing. She punched her jump jets, soaring over the enemy "blockade" that stood between her and the Panther.  
  
The heat in Rae's cockpit raised further as the Panther's PPC scored a hit on her torso, damaging the engine further. She closed her eyes as she brought what was left of her 'mech crashing down upon Shiratori's. The Jenner's foot punctured the defensive shielding on the Panther's fusion reactor. The heat in Rae's cockpit became blistering, intense light penetrating her tightly shut eyelids.  
  
When the dancing motes of light began clearing from Rae's vision, she realised what had happened. The Panther's engine had exploded, taking her and Shiratori with it. Wiping sweat from her brow, she stumbled from the simulator. She saw Katsunosuki and another student speaking with Instructor Torii.  
  
"Ah, welcome back, heishi Sakamoto," the instructor said. "You did well out there, especially considering the cowardly attack made by your opponent. Next time, however, I'd suggest not performing such a dangerous manoeuvre, unless as a last resort." He looked in her eyes. "Understand that there is little to be gained from losing your own life to defeat a single foe. You and Akita are dismissed."  
  
Torii then looked in the direction of Shiratori, who was slowly climbing from his simulator. "You should learn to be a better judge of your targets," he said, "if you wish to become a true samurai, heishi Shiratori. Report to your quarters and think about that."  
  
Shiratori frowned and visibly fought to keep his anger in check. He stalked from the room, making a point of pushing past Rae.  
  
"That," Katsunosuki said with a smirk, "was more like him. Tea?"  
  
Rae nodded. "Sure," she replied.  
  
As the pair exited the simulator room, Rae found herself nose-to-chin with Shiratori. "Ah, Sakamoto," he said, voice oozing disdain, "just who I had hoped to encounter."  
  
"What do you want?" Rae said bluntly, raising her gaze to meet her opponent's.  
  
"Meet me in the gymnasium at 2300, if you value your honour," came Shiratori's reply, "I shall be waiting for you there." He stalked towards the students' quarters.  
  
Rae and Katsunosuki walked the rest of the way to his room in silence. As they entered, Katsunosuki plugged in his kettle. He turned to Rae.  
  
"You're going to do it," he said, "I know all too well that you will."  
  
Rae flopped onto Hiroji's bed. "What else can I do?" she asked. "If I don't show, he'll be sure to call me down as a result. Besides that, I'm sure that I can handle myself against him."  
  
"I'm sure too," Katsunosuki replied, "but keep in mind that you will most likely be caught. He stands at the top of the ISF's watch list. It would be foolish to believe that you wouldn't be caught violating curfew."  
  
"I know," Rae said, "but I don't really see myself having any choice in the matter. On top of that, lashings and a few days in the brig are a lot easier to deal with than knowing myself to be a coward."  
  
"I thought that you might say that," Katsunosuki said, pouring each a steaming cup of tea. "Just be careful. I'd hate to see you get hurt."  
  
Rae smiled, sipping her tea. "You don't have to worry about me, Katsuno. I'm able to take care of myself."  
  
"I never doubted that for a second," Rae's friend responded, "but there's far too much out there that could cause you problems. You could end up in over your head, and I know that Hiroji, Yu, and I would be shattered if something did happen. All I ask is that you watch yourself."  
  
Rae set her teacup on Hiroji's bedside table and stood. "I will," she said, "don't worry. And please don't tell the others anything. I know that they'd both try entirely too hard to stop me."  
  
"Don't worry, Rae," Katsunosuki replied, "I won't breathe a word of it to them."  
  
"I appreciate it," Rae said. "Either way, I think I'll get some food and then a nap. Care to join me at the mess?"  
  
Katsunosuki smiled. "I'll have to pass on that. I'm meeting a friend of mine in town for dinner this evening. I hope to see you tomorrow, and that you're still a student here then."  
  
Rae left the room and made a beeline for the mess. She ate a small meal before retiring to her quarters. Yu was out when she arrived. Rae showered, trimmed and cleaned her nails and retired, the small alarm clock next to her bed set for 2215.  
  
The beeping of Rae's alarm clock was silenced quickly. The room was dark, though she could hear Yu breathing. Thankfully, the alarm hadn't roused her friend. She quickly dressed in black training fatigues and slipped out the door.  
  
The women's quarters were a considerable distance from the gymnasium. The hallways were pitch-black and noiseless. More than once upon her route was Rae almost caught by upperclassmen who also served as enforcers of curfew. Gradually, she made her way to the gym, where Shiratori waited for her, alone.  
  
The only light in the room came from New Samarkand's two moons, illuminating the figure of Rae's foe. She narrowed her eyes when she looked at him.  
  
"So," Shiratori said, "you decided to come. I was starting to worry. Twice now, you've defeated me with honourless tactics. Tonight, I will show you honourable combat." He assumed a ready position.  
  
"You've already lost, Shiratori," Rae replied, standing opposite her foe, "I hope that it doesn't take you long to realize that."  
  
Shiratori responded with a yell, his fist hurtling towards Rae. She sidestepped the punch and tripped him. He hit the ground in a roll, springing to his feet in preparation for her counterattack.   
  
Rae punched. Shiratori caught her fist and threw her to the ground. Pain shot through Rae's left wrist as she brought her arm up to break her fall. An audible crack broke the silence in the room. Shiratori paused, Rae didn't. She rolled sideways and kicked up, connecting with his nose. She rolled backwards to her feet. Adrenaline was pulsing through her, dulling the pain from the fracture. She grinned.  
  
"What's the matter," Rae asked tauntingly, "never see a woman who could take a little pain?"  
  
Shiratori leapt towards Rae, arms out to tackle. She rolled backwards and caught his stomach with her foot, kicking hard. He flew over her, hitting the ground, unable to breathe. She stood and walked towards him.  
  
"Get up," Rae said. "Get up so that I can knock you down again. Get up so that I can avenge my honour that you have taken from me, without giving up more. Get up, or surrender."  
  
Shiratori propped himself from the ground, still gasping for breath. He stood with hate burning from his eyes and blood flowing from his nose and mouth. Rae felled him with a brutal kick to the stomach.  
  
Shiratori gagged and coughed up blood. Rae looked at him.  
  
"You are no better than your father," Rae said. "An honourless dog. Destined to be ronin yourself, I'm sure." She turned and walked towards the gym's exit.  
  
Before Rae could leave the room, the lights sprang to life. As she looked around, she saw ISF agents surrounding her and her semiconscious foe. Tai-sho Koan Yamura, headmaster of Sun Zhang, stepped within the circle of agents.  
  
"I believe that congratulations would be in order, heishi Sakamoto," Yamura said, emphasizing her rank. "Or they would be so if this were sanctioned. You have violated curfew, and have engaged in a brawl with heishi Shiratori. Combined with the actions the two of you participated in during basic training, I should see you both expelled." Rae's heart sank.  
  
"However," Yamura continued, "there are certain extraneous circumstances to be seen here. Suffice it to say, heishi, that you should consider yourself quite lucky to be confined to quarters, with no visitors allowed, until further notice. If you are caught outside your room without a very good reason, you will be expelled. You should also know that Shiratori does not share in your good fortune. I suggest that you head to the infirmary, as a broken wrist can lead to no end of problems in the cockpit if it fails to set properly. Dismissed."  
  
Rae bowed respectfully, trying not to show her happiness as she left the gymnasium. She was lucky, to be certain, and she had no desire to ruin her luck by appearing disrespectful. As quietly as possible, she went to the infirmary, leaving Shiratori behind. 


End file.
